HVAC control system encouraging energy efficient user behaviors in plural interactive contexts

Abstract

Methods and devices for controlling a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system by a thermostat are provided. Input can be received from a user via a thermostat, the input being indicative of an adjustment of an HVAC-related setting. On a real-time basis, the HVAC-related setting that is being adjusted can be compared against a feedback criterion designed to indicate a circumstance under which feedback is to be presented to the user. The circumstance can be indicative of an achievement of a HVAC-related setting of a predetermined responsibility level with respect to an energy usage of the HVAC system. Upon a real-time determination that the feedback criterion is satisfied, visual feedback can be caused to be presented to the user in real-time. The real-time feedback can include a visual icon having a visual appeal corresponding to a desirability of the satisfaction of the feedback criterion.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of encouraging responsible energy usage of an HVAC system via a portable electronic device, the HVAC system being configured to condition an enclosure based on a setpoint temperature of a thermostat, the method comprising:
 receiving setpoint temperatures of the thermostat over a period of time to establish a historical temperature setting behavior of the HVAC system in conditioning the enclosure; 
 determining a responsible temperature setting criterion based at least in part on said historical temperature setting behavior, said responsible temperature setting criterion corresponding to an efficient energy usage of the HVAC system in conditioning the enclosure; 
 receiving, via a communication component of the portable electronic device and over a network, information representative of said responsible temperature setting criterion; 
 receiving, via the portable electronic device, input from a user of an adjustment of the setpoint temperature of the thermostat; 
 determining, via the portable electronic device, that the adjustment of the setpoint temperature is representative of an environmentally responsible usage of the HVAC system in conditioning the enclosure, said determination being based at least in part on said information representative of said responsible temperature setting criterion and said determination being made without requiring real-time communication with said thermostat; 
 sending information of said adjustment of the setpoint temperature to the thermostat in order to control the HVAC system to condition the enclosure in accordance with said adjustment of the setpoint temperature; and 
 displaying a visual icon on an electronic display of the portable electronic device to signal the environmentally responsible usage of the HVAC system. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said information representative of said responsible temperature setting criterion is generated by a processor associated with said thermostat. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein said processor is contained in said thermostat. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said information representative of said responsible temperature setting criterion is transmitted from the thermostat to the portable electronic device. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said information representative of said responsible temperature setting criterion comprises one or more temperature thresholds that trigger a real-time display of the visual icon. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising brightening or fading the display of the visual icon on the electronic display of the portable electronic device to indicate a degree of responsible energy usage of the HVAC system. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the visual icon that is displayed on the electronic display of the portable electronic device is a leaf. 
     
     
       8. A system for efficient HVAC control comprising:
 an HVAC control device that is configured to control an HVAC system based on a setpoint temperature to condition an enclosure, the HVAC system being operable with software that is configured to:
 receive setpoint temperatures of the HVAC control device over a period of time to establish a historical temperature setting behavior of the HVAC system in conditioning the enclosure; and 
 determine a responsible temperature setting criterion based at least in part on said historical temperature setting behavior, said responsible temperature setting criterion corresponding to an efficient energy usage of the HVAC system in conditioning the enclosure; 
 
 said HVAC control device being remotely controllable by a portable electronic device having software that is configured to:
 receive information over a network representative of said responsible temperature setting criterion; 
 receiving input from a user of an adjustment of the setpoint temperature of the HVAC control device; 
 determine that the adjustment of the setpoint temperature is representative of an environmentally responsible usage of the HVAC system in conditioning the enclosure, said determination being based at least in part on said information representative of said responsible temperature setting criterion and said determination being made without requiring real-time communication with said HVAC control device; 
 send information of said adjustment of the setpoint temperature to the HVAC control device in order to control the HVAC system to condition the enclosure in accordance with said adjustment of the setpoint temperature; and 
 display a visual icon to the user to signal the environmentally responsible usage of the HVAC system. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 8 , wherein said information representative of said responsible temperature setting criterion is generated by a processor associated with said HVAC control device. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 9 , wherein said processor is contained in said HVAC control device. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 8 , wherein said information representative of said responsible temperature setting criterion is transmitted from the HVAC control device to the portable electronic device. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 8 , wherein said information representative of said responsible temperature setting criterion comprises one or more temperature thresholds that trigger a real-time display of the visual icon. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 8 , wherein said software of said portable electronic device is further configured to brighten or fade the display of the visual icon to indicate a degree of responsible energy usage of the HVAC system. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the visual icon is a leaf. 
     
     
       15. An electronic device comprising:
 an electronic display; 
 a communication component for communicating information with external devices and systems; and 
 a processor, said processor being configured to:
 receive, via the communication component, information over a network that is representative of a responsible temperature setting criterion of an HVAC system, said responsible temperature setting criterion corresponding to an efficient energy usage of the HVAC system in conditioning an enclosure; 
 receive input from a user of an adjustment of a setpoint temperature of a control device of the HVAC system; 
 determine that the adjustment of the setpoint temperature is representative of an environmentally responsible usage of the HVAC system, said determination being based at least in part on said information representative of said responsible temperature setting criterion and said determination being made without requiring real-time communication with said HVAC system; 
 send, via the communication component, information of said adjustment of the setpoint temperature to the control device of the HVAC system in order to control the HVAC system to condition the enclosure in accordance with said adjustment of the setpoint temperature; and 
 display a visual icon in real time to the user on said electronic display to signal the environmentally responsible usage of the HVAC system. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The electronic device of  claim 15 , wherein said information representative of said responsible temperature setting criterion is generated by a processor associated with said control device of the HVAC system. 
     
     
       17. The electronic device of  claim 16 , wherein said processor is contained in said control device of the HVAC system. 
     
     
       18. The electronic device of  claim 16 , wherein said information representative of said responsible temperature setting criterion is transmitted from the control device to the electronic device. 
     
     
       19. The electronic device of  claim 15 , wherein said information representative of said responsible temperature setting criterion comprises one or more temperature thresholds that trigger a real-time display of the visual icon. 
     
     
       20. The electronic device of  claim 15 , wherein said processor of said electronic device is further configured to brighten or fade the display of the visual icon in real time to indicate a degree of responsible energy usage of the HVAC system.